Thomas Gainsborough was one of the most brilliant and original portrait painters of the 18th-century, surpassing his great rival Reynolds with his abilty to capture a likeness and his superb handling of the paint. He was also a talented and sensitive landscape painter and has been hailed as the father of the British landscape school, paving the way for artists such as Constable and Turner. This book analyzes Gainsborough"s technique and subject matter, and explores his artistic environment, his important contemporaries and issues such as the patronage of artists in 18th-century England. This book contains a survey of Gainsborough"s most famous works, including "Mr and Mrs Andrews" and "The Blue Boy".